


Poetry In Motion

by orphan_account



Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-01-15
Updated: 2011-01-15
Packaged: 2017-10-14 19:17:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 745
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/152571
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set post-series, present day. Dawn and Faith have moved together to Cleveland (hellmouth ahoy!).</p>
            </blockquote>





	Poetry In Motion

**Author's Note:**

  * For [slashmarks](https://archiveofourown.org/users/slashmarks/gifts).



> My piece for femslash_minis Round 45, Faith. For slashmarks who wanted Faith/Dawn, who wanted "fighting bad guys, surprise, older!Dawn".

Dawn has seen a lot of slaying: demons, monsters, the occasional dragon, and even one homesick alien. But there’s still something to be said for the simplicity, the thrill and the tradition of an old-fashioned vampire kill. There’s only one vampire today, a big, hulking lug. Dawn throws a few punches at the beginning of the fight, but then steps back and just watches Faith move.

She knows it’s a cliché, but Faith really does look like poetry in motion. There is no unnecessary movement. It’s as if the battle was choreographed in advance, so perfect is each kick and each hit. The fight is a splendid, violent dance, a perfect blend of bloodshed and symmetry. It ends on a final thrust, a flip of the wrist to drive in the stake, a primal, sexual act. Faith’s opponent collapses into a pile of dust and Dawn is tempted to clap. Instead, she just moves forward. “Nice,” she says.

Faith turns to look at her, her dark lips slanting into a smile. “Thanks. Just another night in the life of a slayer… nothing fancy.”

Dawn shakes her head, but doesn’t protest. She doesn’t tell Faith the truth, doesn’t say that while there may be hundreds of slayers and even more Potentials, there is only one Faith. Even Buffy, scrappy and strong and experienced, doesn’t compare when it comes to fierceness or to beauty. That’s in Dawn’s opinion at least, which is a definitely a good thing, because if watching her sister slay made her feel anything like this, she would need years of therapy.

“So what now?” Dawn asks.

“I think we’ve killed enough vamps for the night. Let’s go home.”

They walk through the battered streets of Cleveland, empty and eerie at three in the morning on a wintry Wednesday. In the distance a dog is barking, but at least there’s no bang of shots in the night.

“Are you cold?” Faith asks as snow begins to fall, cold and damp on their heads. Neither of them is wearing a hat or a scarf, although Dawn did remember to wear mittens. Even though she’s been in Ohio for over a year, she’s still a California girl, unused to extremes of temperature. As for Faith, Dawn’s pretty sure Faith doesn’t bundle up because it would mess with her image.

“A little,” Dawn admits. Faith takes off her worn leather jacket and wraps it around Dawn’s shoulders. She’s wearing only a white tank top underneath. “No, don’t, you’ll get too cold…”

Faith raises her hand to cup Dawn’s cheek. “I’ll be fine. See? I’m burning up.” And it’s true. Faith’s touch is like a sweet brand on Dawn’s skin. She’s always so hot. At night, when she curls around Dawn, it’s like sleeping with a furnace.

“Thank you.” Dawn puts her own mittened hand over Faith’s. They stop walking and stand still for a minute. Faith wraps her fingers around Dawn’s and pulls their clasped hands downward. They walk back to their apartment, hand in hand, hip to hip, neither of them speaking.

The apartment is waiting for them, warm and dark and welcoming. They strip their clothes off and collapse onto the bed. Faith kisses her way down Dawn’s neck. “I love you, babe.”

“Love you too,” Dawn says, squirming as Faith’s mouth closes around her nipple. It’s poetry in motion again but this time they write the poem together.

After, in the sweet orgasmic glow, Faith climbs out of bed. “No, don’t go,” Dawn moans.

“I’ll just be a sec,” Faith says, and disappears into the other room. She returns, still gloriously naked, her body shining in the pale stripes of light that shine through the window from the streetlamps outside. She’s carrying something, but Dawn can’t see what it is.

Faith flops down on the bed. “Here,” she says, giving Dawn a small package. Dawn reaches to turn on the bedside lamp. “What…”

“Did you think I’d forget? It’s our anniversary.” Faith kisses the curve of Dawn’s shoulder

“I just… I thought it was tomorrow. But I guess it is morning now.” Dawn pulls apart the wrapping, shiny and too perfect, to find a jewelry box. “Oh, you didn’t have to…”

“Open it,” Faith commands. Dawn can feel herself starting to shake. She opens it and there it is, a fat and shiny ring.

“Surprise!” Faith says. “Dawn Summers, will you marry me?”

Dawn can’t speak at first. Finally, she clears her throat. “Yes.”


End file.
